Newspaper Page Text
September 24, 2008
PAGE16A t Reporter
Burns grateful for a little
help from his friends
Jason Burns gladly shakes hands with members of the Red Knights during
their stop at Bolingbroke fire station Saturday (Photo/Gina Herring)
BY GINA
HERRING
J hson Bums
realizes he is
a lucky man.
Three months
after a near-
fatal motorcycle acci
dent, Bums is finally
sitting up and getting
out of the house. Bums
visited the Boling
broke Volunteer Fire
Department's 8th an
nual Fire Prevention
and Life Safety Day
Saturday. He said he is
so happy to be out
among people again
and hopes to begin
physical therapy later
this week.
"I am on a no
weight bearing
restriction until
October," said
Burns. "But, I go to
the doctor this week and hopefully, if
everything looks good, he will tell me I
can start to do therapy."
On June 24, Burns, a Monroe County
firefighter and EMT had just finished his
shift at the Bolingbroke station and was
riding his motorcycle on Highway 41 to
work another shift at the Forsyth station
when he was struck by a car. Although he
was wearing a helmet and a protective
jacket, Burns was severely injured, includ
ing broken leg and shattered pelvis. In the
days that followed, Burns endured seven
surgeries.
He was able to go home after almost a
month in the hospital, but has remained
flat on his back until now.
"It feels good to sit up," said Burns, who
was not paralyzed by the accident but
uses a wheelchair to avoid putting weight
on his fragile leg and hips. "It feels good
to get out and see people."
Over the last three months, the firefight
er community, as well as neighbors,
friends and strangers, have organized sev
eral fundraisers to help Burns with med
ical costs. Burns says the support has
been overwhelming and appreciated.
"It has been so great," said Burns. "So
many people have helped. I can't tell you
what that means."
Saturday, the Red Knights Motorcycle
Club Chapter 16, made up of firefighters,
had a poker ride to benefit Burns. The rid
ers started at High Falls fire station and
made stops at Culloden, Bolingbroke and
Juliette. The riders got a chance to meet
Burns at their stop in Bolingbroke.
Chapter president Ronnie Register said
it was great to see Burns sitting up.
"We wanted to do this for Jason, as a fel
low firefighter and a friend," said
Register.
Burns says it was nice to see his friends
doing something to help him, but admits
seeing the all the motorcycles made him
anxious to ride again. And he does plan to
ride again.
"If I would have done something stupid
to make this happen, it might be differ
ent," said Burns. "But, accidents happen. I
love to ride and can't wait to get back out
there."
An account for Jason Burns has also
been set up at Monroe County Bank in
Forsyth and Bolingbroke for monetary
donations. Burns is not sure when he will
be able to return to his job as a Monroe
County firefighter EMT.
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